Casey among worst hit

By Bridget Brady and Lia Bichel
CASEY residents are counting the cost after floods ripped through the City of Casey on the weekend.
Suburbs in Casey were among the worst hit in the state, as houses and businesses were inundated.
Lynbrook copped more than 180mm of rain within 24 hours, and some of the worst affected areas included Narre Warren, Narre Warren South, Berwick, Hampton Park and Cranbourne.
The Narre Warren SES were flat out as they attended about 700 jobs.
Nursing homes were evacuated and schools remained closed into this week.
The worst affected school was Hampton Park Secondary College with 60 per cent of rooms damaged.
Emergency Relief Centres were opened at the Casey Civic Centre in Narre Warren and the Casey Indoor Leisure Complex in Cranbourne for evacuated Kooweerup residents.
Some roads in Casey remained closed this week causing major traffic woes for motorists.
Narre Warren-Cranbourne Road opened on Wednesday.
Residents have reported what were usually 15-minute trips taking more than an hour.
City of Casey CEO Mike Tyler said council officers were working hard to inspect, assess and fix damage to many local roads and the drainage network.
While the floods brought heartache for some, it brought others together.
Community spirit was on show in Narre Warren when neighbouring residents met each other for the first time to share their experiences and lend a helping hand.
Casey Council has established a dedicated Flood Information section on their website.
For more information visit www.casey.vic.gov.au/floods.